perk up

phrasal verb

perked up; perking up; perks up

informal

: to become more lively or cheerful or to make (someone) more lively or cheerful

We perked up when we heard the good news.

The good news perked everyone up.

: to make (something) fresher or more appealing

The new paint job really perked up the room.

chiefly US, of an animal's ears : to be lifted in a quick and alert way

The dog's ears perked up.

—often used figuratively of a person

My ears perked up when I heard my name mentioned.

Examples of perk up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Investors have perked up too: WBD shares are up nearly 35 percent in the past month, and jumped almost 15 percent today, closing at $12.40. —

David Bloom, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Inflation similarly perked up in October , with the CPI increasing 0.2% for the month to 2.6%, up 0.2 percentage points from September. —

Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2024 So, when news of Patrick Ta’s Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation surfaced, my ears perked up. —

Jessica Fields, Essence, 3 Dec. 2024 Ian perks up between coughs and questions if his son has told Rachel of his feelings for her. —

Lincee Ray, EW.com, 23 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for perk up